And the winner is: The Ole Miss 'Rebel Black Bear'

OXFORD, Miss. – After all that, it's a bear.

It has been more than a decade since the University of Mississippi began stripping away its images of the Old South. Confederate battle flags were first to go. Next was mascot "Colonel Reb," the goateed Southern planter who cheered on the Rebels from the sidelines since 1979.

After seven years and plenty of bickering, his successor was named Thursday: "Rebel Black Bear" won 62 percent of the vote in a final poll and will become the new face of the school's athletic programs....